Abstract: This paper reports on an extensive study conducted on the existing frameworks and relevant theories that lead to a better understanding of the requirements of an e-learning tool for people with dyslexia. The DAEL framework has been developed with respect to four different dimensions: presentation, hypermediality, acceptability and accessibility, and user experience. However, there has been no research on the different types of dyslexia and the dyslexic user’s viewpoint as they affect application design. Therefore, in this paper a framework is proposed which would conform to the standards of acceptability and accessibility for dyslexic students. We hypothesise that an e-learning application, which will adopt itself according to individuals’ dyslexia types, will advantage the dyslexics’ individuals in their learning process.

Abstract: Abstract This paper describes the set of methods and cloud tools used to simplify the rapid design of learning resources for courses in computational science. We have developed and added new tools to our cloud platform – CLAVIRE – to simplify and speed up the sharing of scientific executable resources, design and implementation of courses’ structure and virtual learning labs, and preparation of the text resources for the theoretical part of the course and the case studies and seminars. We have applied our approach to design a course in eScience tchnologies based on the sequences of application packages and cloud services developed for task solving in different application domains and integrated into the CLAVIRE platform. Our approach allows us to significantly speed up the design and implementation of learning resources, and does not reduce the value of teachers’ (experts’) participation.

Abstract: To meet the requirement of a course in computational thinking for a minor in Informational Technology, an introductory course in computational modeling of nature was developed. Influenced by the modeling course developed by Dickerson at Middlebury College, the computational science textbook by Shiflet and Shiflet, and my own work on partial differential equation models, this course contains the development of three kinds of models of phenomena in nature. These three kinds of models are agent-based models using the language of NetLogo, simple finite difference models using the system dynamics option of NetLogo, and complex finite difference models using the language of C++. The natural phenomena modeled include some standard ones (ants following pheromone trails, the interaction of sheep and wolves, erosion due to rainfall, and the spread of malaria) and some non-standard ones (the 7-day creation of the world, 3 dogs playing games, and formation of stripes and spots in the skins of animals). The emphasis of the course is on the modeling process instead of on programming with modeling as a thread. A distinguishing feature is that, because students spend significant time with three different modeling techniques, they are able to compare and critique these models.

Abstract: Numerical methods are tools for approximating solutions to problems that may have complicated developments or cannot be solved analytically. In engineering studies, students have to face problems from other disciplines such as structural or rock mechanics, biology, chemistry or physics. Prior to solving these problems it is important to define and adopt a rational framework. The students of fourth course out of five, of the bachelor’s degree in Computer Sciences or Industrial Engineering at the University of Salamanca (Spain), they learn mathematics solving real problems with the help of their acquired interdisciplinary knowledge. We have proposed the students a term project that summarizes some of the knowledge and skills acquired during the course. We will describe in this study the software and specific applications that will be use during the whole course.

Abstract: Multicore processors are now the standard CPU architecture, and multithreaded parallel programs are needed to take full advantage of such CPUs. New tools are needed to help students learn how to design and build such parallel programs. In this paper, we present the thread-safe graphics library (TSGL), a new C++11 library that allows different threads to draw to a shared Canvas, which is updated in approximate real-time. Using TSGL, instructors and students can create visualizations that illustrate multithreaded behavior. We present three multithreaded applications that illustrate the use of TSGL to help students see and understand how an application is using parallelism to speed up its computation.

Abstract: The last two decades have witnessed an enormously rapid development of computational technologies which have undoubtedly affected all the fields of human activities, including education. In fact, computational science is one of the most evolving profile study programmes at technical universities nowadays. This article thus focuses on the description of the key content courses, curricula and degrees offered within the study programmes at the Faculty of Informatics and Management of the University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. Moreover, this study characterizes teaching and learning of university computational professionals with a special focus on core competences such as an ability to identify and solve problems, knowledge of analytical methods, or operating systems, but also on active and passive knowledge of English since English as lingua franca can help these professionals together with other core competences succeed in the job market after their graduation.